Comparative Essay (Integrated Approach): Made in Dagenham and I am Malala

Write the essay question you are responding to:

‘Compare how the protagonists in the memoir ‘I am Malala’ and the film ‘Made in Dagenham’ are able to see beyond their own narrow worlds and remain committed to the fight for gender equality’.

Introduction

Lead-in sentence
Introduce both texts
Briefly mention how the two texts are similar or different
Introduce contention
An overview of the main points of comparison your essay will explore / In today’s society, girls and women continue the struggle for gender equality that began in the 1960s and they continue to persevere in their battle for what is fair.
The memoir ‘I Malala’, written by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb, highlights the determination and ongoing commitment of a young Pashtun girl to universal education for both girls and boys, despite living in the severely restricted environment of rural Swat Valley, in contemporary Pakistan, under the control of extremist Taliban Muslims.
Similarly, director Nigel Cole’s film ‘Made In Dagenham’ illustrates the strength of character and steadfast tenacity required of Ford factory worker Rita O’Grady in order to overcome the challenges of the sexist 1960s as she and the other female workers fight for gender pay equality.
Clearly, the two texts explore how the bravery and persistence of one dedicated person or group can make a difference in a campaign for what is just and fair.
Both Malala and Rita envision a future outside their own limited circumstances and bravely face trials and setbacks in their unswerving battle for justice and equal rights for all.
In addition, they find support and encouragement from those they are closest to and display enormous courage and strength of character in the face of financial hardship, intimidation, death threats - and even, in Malala’s case, an assassination attempt - in their fight to achieve their vision of a better future for all women. (237 words)

Body Paragraph 1:

Topic sentence that says how this idea is seen
Explain: Text 1
Evidence: quotes/events, Text 1
Explain: Text 2
Evidence: quotes/events, Text 2
Link back to the topic sentence / essay question / BothMalala and Rita are encouraged to envision a future beyond their own limited circumstances and are determined to achieve their dreams of equal rights for women.
Malala is raised by an enlightened Muslim father, Ziaddun Yousafzai, who encourages his daughter to fight for her rights and is supportive of Malala’s quest for all girls to be educated. In contrast to most Pakistani men her father does not hold her back and hide her away.
When a cousin angrily asks him, ‘Why isn’t she covered?’ Ziaddun tells him to look after his own affairs. Malala grows up with his unwavering support for her passionate belief in gender equality and vows, “This was the war I was going to fight”. Ziauddin says to Malala, “it’s your right to speak”.
He actively champions his daughter’s campaign, telling her that she is “free as a bird” and that he will protect her freedom, so she can “Carry on with (her) dreams”.
Like Malala, machinist Rita O’Grady is encouraged by union shop steward Albert, who supports her in her battle for the right of women for equal pay for equal work. Albert actively encourages the women when they walk out in protest and inspires Rita to lead the strike at the Ford car plant in Dagenham when the machinists’ position and wages are downgraded.
In the café scene after the first stoppage by the women, Albert persuades her to fight against such discrimination towards women in the workforce, telling her movingly of his mother’s struggles because of unequal pay for women and bolstering Rita’s confidence in her abilities, saying reassuringly: “You got heart and … brains and - and someone has to stop those exploitin’ bastards from gettin’ away with what they been doin’ for years!”
He builds outrage in Rita when he tells her, “You’ll always come second …”
It is therefore clear that both Malala and Rita have solid support, which gives them the courage to fight for a better future for women in their societies.
(334 words)
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Body Paragraph 2:

Same as for above

Body Paragraph 3:

Same as above

Conclusion

Summarise the main focus of the comparison
Identifies how the main textual feature discussed (characters) demonstrates the theme of gender equality
Comments on how each text deal with the ideas and issues in different ways, revealing different aspects of it.
Concluding remarks / Both ‘I am Malala’ and ‘Made in Dagenham’ depict the struggle for gender equality through the experiences of their protagonists.
They are shown to have an innate understanding that equality is a right for all, and they are shown to be similarly willing to fight for justice and fairness against discriminatory social and cultural attitudes towards women. They refuse to give up their struggle for gender equality in the face of daunting opposition.
However, the warm, uplifting story of the revolution for equal pay for women seen in Nigel Cole’s film ‘Made in Dagenham’ is in sharp contrast to the compelling impact created by the tension and drama of the extraordinary journey of Malala, ‘The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban’.
Both texts raise awareness of the struggles faced around the world to achieve gender equality, depicting Malala and Rita as strong females who can think past the constraints of their male-dominated society, fearlessly confront opposition and envisage a future of just and fair rights for all. (173 words)